Guided Tours of the Tribunal

Visits are organized for legal practitioners and associations, law students and the general public. Each visit offers the group the possibility of viewing the courtroom, touring the building and hearing a presentation on the Tribunal in English, French or German by representatives of the Registry.

Visits are offered for groups of 10 to 35 people, larger groups can also be accommodated without a tour of the building but with a detailed presentation and question/answer session. Visits can be arranged from Monday to Friday when the Tribunal is not in session and are free of charge.

Programme 1: for legal practitioners and law students

Groups are given a detailed presentation on the jurisdiction and procedure of the Tribunal with an overview of a selection of cases on the Tribunal’s List. This is followed by a question and answer session, a tour of the Tribunal and a visit to the Tribunal’s Library. The programme lasts approximately half a day and may be adapted to the wishes of the group.

Programme 2: for legal practitioners

Study visits can be organized for small groups of legal practitioners, offering presentations, lectures and discussion on the dispute settlement regime under the Convention and the jurisdiction, procedure and case-law of the Tribunal. Each programme is designed to meet the interests of the participants. A tour of the Tribunal and a visit to the Tribunal’s Library are included in the programme.

Programme 3: for the general public

Groups of visitors who do not have a legal background are given a tour of the building and a general presentation on the Tribunal, its history, organization and work. These visits tend to last about two hours.

Attending a hearing

Hearings are announced by press release and may be attended by the general public unless the Tribunal decides otherwise or the parties request that the hearing be closed to the public. The decisions of the Tribunal are read at a public sitting.

Hearings take place in one of the three courtrooms of the Tribunal. The main courtroom seats up to 250 people, the smaller courtrooms approximately 50 each. In the event that the courtroom is full, seating can be provided in the rotunda area where the hearings may be followed on the media wall.

Hearings are held in the Tribunal's two official languages, English and French. Simultaneous interpretation into the other language is provided.

Hearings generally last from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a break from 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a break from 4:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Restricted parking is available for visitors in the car park to the right of the main entrance.

All visitors must undergo a security check at the entrance and should carry valid proof of identity (passport or identity card).

Mobile phones should be switched off.

Flash photography is not permitted after the hearing has commenced.

Smoking is not permitted in the building. No food or drink is allowed in the courtroom.

Anybody causing disruption to the hearing will be requested to leave the courtroom.